


Under the cold hand

by starlesssky



Series: Man, Woman, and a cat [8]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Original Character Death(s), dominant father, mention of infertility
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 12:33:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8056603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlesssky/pseuds/starlesssky
Summary: It brought an unpleasant gift.It brought an unexpected consequence.And still, it was seeking what it wanted.





	Under the cold hand

**Author's Note:**

> If you are new to this serie, please read [part 1](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5973331) first.  
> And if you are a reader of this serie, I found a mistake about the time line so I changed a little bit about [part 5.](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6413443) Please check it first, thank you.

Sometimes she wondered, if her father really remembered her name.  
"And you said you don't know what he plans?"  
And the way he asked her, she always felt like it was an interrogation. Of course she had never caught in the interrogation... but it felt like that, anyway.  
"I don't know, father. He has not come back nearly half a year."  
"Since you are not a good wife, are you?"  
She frowned and sighed in her mind. She knew they were playing with them to make them think this was a non-emotional arranged marriage. And somehow they have succeeded it. Better than she had expected. When she told it to him, in their bedroom, on their bed, in his arms, he chuckled. You don't know how much I manage to make them believe it.  
"And what can I do? We know what this marriage is for. To them for money and connection, to you for position and fame."  
"I expected more. You haven't got pregnant with his child, you don't get information about his operation."  
"You had to hire a spy into his subordinates than send a daughter as his wife."  
As she spat out, General Pinastoff stopped his pacing, then rushed before her.  
"Watch your mouth, Millie. You know who has raised you up as a General's daughter, not a pitiful orphan."  
He remembered my name. She thought blankly.  
"By the way I don't know what he plans now. You imagined he sent a comm to me then talked about his duty volubly?"  
"I hoped so, at least, I hoped my daughter tried to withdraw an information from him. Then, I got a disobedient daughter and a sterile son-in-law."  
She stood up and faced him, glaring at her father.  
"We haven't had enough time for that, when he is a busy officer in the First Order."  
"But he has come back sometimes, and you let him sleep on his bed alone?"  
No. She answered in her mind. He never. She could remember how he led her into their bedroom when he came back home. Holding her waist, hastening in the corridor, his cheeks still red from the former "session", then looking at her, putting his lips on her forehead, he muttered.  
Millie.  
"You know how long we have married? Almost ten years, and you still hope we have a child? After a decade?"  
"You can, you know I had you checked for your fertileness before the wedding. If he is seedless, I don't mind who the biological father is. I NEED A CHILD OF HUX FAMILY."  
"I know you need one more child for keeping your position and fame. And take back what you said, father."  
"What I said?"  
As he frowned, she gritted her teeth. It was the point she could return.And what did he know? Could he imagine about what has happened between them? For this decade?  
We are going to survive this, Millie. He whispered in her ear, after they laid on the bed, catching their breathing. One day, I will be a ruler of the galaxy. As he said, she frowned. He smirked. They have raised me for that. When the Empire rebuilds, I will stand on the top. No one will bother me. No one will annoy us. And then, they will know what we are. She didn't laugh it off, just caressed his cheek. Pale, cold, and fragile. How fragile he was, under his severe merciless mask. And she wondered, if he could survive this, this life as an anticipated child of the former Empire, as a future ruler of the galaxy, or not.  
If she could help this skinny and pale boy with the beautiful blue eyes till the end or not.  
"What you said about him. You insulted him pointlessly."  
He stared at her, then smirked, coldly.  
"At least my daughter has courage to defend her husband. I'm glad to know it. But."  
He pointed his finger to her.  
"You have to consider to whom you say. I'm your father, as I said, if I didn't choose to bring you up, you would have died miserable."  
"It's not my choice to have you as my father, but he is my husband, even you decided it, I chose him."  
And he was the one who allowed her to choose.  
General Pinastoff sighed, irritatedly.  
"Mildred Pinastoff, you have to consider what you belong to. Even if your husband, that serpentine man, tries to tame you, you have to remember who has fed you."  
"Don't treat me like a pet!"  
"And when a pet disobeys the master, you need a discipline!"  
She felt that, but didn't understand, at the moment. She just felt the hotness on her cheek.  
And she heard something crashing on the floor.  
As she looked at the direction of the sound, Medeia covered her mouth with her hands in front of the door with a horrified expression. In the corner of her view, she saw her father wandered his gaze as like he felt awkward.  
"Ah, I have to go now, and don't tell your master that I came."  
General Pinastoff left the room in a hurry, grabbing his coat and hat. Medeia rushed to her madam, and checked her face.  
"Madam, you alright?"  
She breathed in, breathed out, then felt a pain in her cheek. Medeia led her to the chair and made her madam sat on.  
"I'm going to bring some ices, and call the doctor."  
"No, I'm..."  
"You are not fine, Madam. He slapped you."  
She felt tears welled up in her eyes, but she knew it was not only because of the pain.  
Medeia and the steward took care of her, while the other maids cleaned up the rotten tea set on the floor. After the doctor checked her skin and told her the bruise would remain for the few days, but didn't give serious damage, she sat in the bedroom, while Medeia prepare the bath for her. She was not in any mood to enjoy the bath, but at the same time she understood Medeia thought it would help her confused mind to relax.  
After the bath, she sighed, in a relief. Medeia helped to dry her hair and to wear a casual dress.  
"If you need something more..."  
"No, thank you so much, Medeia. I just need a short rest."  
As she smiled, Medeia looked at her like she didn't believe her madam, but nodded. And when she was about to leave the room, Millie called to stop her.  
"And please tell Mentoro, he doesn't have to contact Armitage."

 

In his quater, Armitage Hux stared at the outside of the window, which showed him the wide dark sky with stars.  
"Sir? Are you there?"  
As the voice from the other side of the comm, he turned his gaze to it.  
"Of course I am. He already left there?"  
"Yes."  
"She... is fine? I mean, he gave a serious injury on her?"  
"No, the doctor said your Madam will be fine in a few days."  
"Good. I have an important mission now. When I go back, I will tell you."  
As he said in a flat tone, Mentro - his longtime steward - didn't answer for a moment, then mumbled, like he groaned in anger.  
"Sir... your Madam got slapped."  
"I know, I know."  
He cut the comm. He looked at the dark sky again, a little longer. Then, he turned around, to the table. He switched on the comm, then contacted the one who he needed a help.  
"This is Captain Phasma."  
"This is Colonel Hux. Sorry for disturbing you Captain, but can I ask a favour?"

 

After a moment he pushed the bell, the speaker sounded loudly in the corridor.  
"Who is it?"  
"Excuse me, General Pinastoff. This is Colonel Hux. Sorry for visiting you abruptly, but I want to talk with you."  
For a moment, he didn't reply, then the door opened.  
"Come in."  
Walking in his quarters, Hux found his father-in-law stood up from his armchair. Hux already made sure the general was off time now, so he could see the older officer took it relax.  
"I'm glad you paid your visiting for me. Make yourself. You want a drink? I got a fine wine the other day so I would like you to taste it."  
"Thank you, but I have to go back to the duty later, so I want to taste it next time."  
General Pinastoff nodded, then suggested him to sit down.  
"I know you are busy these days... Oh, I heard the Supreme Leader considered promoting you to a general... Congratulation."  
Hux sat down on the sofa, brushing his coat off.  
"Thank you again, but nothing is decided. I don't want to think it is already saved for me."  
As he answered calmly, the general nodded with a smile, but he could see his anxiety under his smiling face.  
"I heard you visited Millie... Sorry for failing to see her for long time, but I appreciate her doing great for me."  
He could see the general stiffened slightly, but he pretended he didn't notice it. The older officer nodded, generously.  
"I know, Armitage, you are busy now. It is her job, to keep the house while her husband stays away."  
"Yes, she does the duties as a wife so good. Not only managing the house, but also keeping company with other members of the First Order or their wives. It means so much for my position."  
As Hux answered unemotionally, the general laughed lightly.  
"I know my daughter does well... and it's an honour to have you as my son-in-law. If there is only one thing I feel disappointed slightly, I don't see my grandchild yet..."  
The young officer of the First Order smiled, apologetically.  
"I know... We have tried so much for long years..."  
"No, you don't need to apologize me, Armitage. It is not so easy to be blessed with a child..."  
"Not to give you what you want."  
For a moment, they stopped. General Pinastoff looked down at his son-in-law, suspiciously, and Colonel Hux stared back at his father-in-law, determinedly.  
"What...?"  
As he asked back, the young officer smiled again, but this time like a serpentine.  
"We have worked hard not to impregnate her... I even have used the spermicide pill for myself. Don't worry, 'father', it is our decision, not only mine, not only hers, just ours. And now you don't need to worry about it anymore."  
When Hux stood up from the sofa, the general stepped back, and as soon as he saw the young officer draw the blaster under his coat, he turned around torush to the door. But when the door opened, he stopped, seeing a tall stormtrooper in the silver armour pointing the blaster at him.  
Hux walked toward him.  
"I appreciate you so much, General Pinastoff, for long years working for us, offering funds, giving the informationabout the New Republic, but I think we are at a good time, especially when you spied on me and my new plan."  
The general spun around and glared at his son-in-law, bravely, but failed.  
"I just wanted to know what you planned and to help..."  
"To help the Resistance?"  
He asked with a snort, watching the older officer froze at the point.  
"We know you have a connection with the New Republic, and it brought many profits for us, but I can't ignore the fact of you are trying to bring our information to the Resistance."  
The general looked down at the floor, but soon he looked up and faced the younger officer, with a twitched smile.  
"You can't --- you can't kill me, Armitage. You will lose our financial help, from Pinastoff family."  
"Oh."  
Hux arched his brow, like he was indicated what he didn't notice.  
"Good point, but you forget you have a successor, your only heiress."  
The general widened his eyes, then shook his head, denying what his son-in-law said.  
"No --- she can't --- she shouldn't --- she mustn't help who kills her father."  
"And it is she who will decide, General Pinastoff."  
As Hux said calmly, the older officer stared at him, in question, in awe, in horror.  
"I chose her. I chose to let her decide what she wants. So, she will choose."  
He passed by the general, and when he stood beside the tall and silver stormtrooper, showing his back to his father-in-law, he put back his blaster then looked back over his shoulder, and ordered.  
"Shoot him, Captain."  
Once. Twice. And it was enough. Hux turned his gaze but when the smell of blood reached him, he felt like vomiting. He somehow stopped himself from it.  
"Can we clean the room?"  
As Captain Phasma asked in a flat tone, Hux nodded, trying not to show her he felt sick. He should have a shower before reporting the Supreme Leader about General Pinastoff gone.  
"Ah, thank you for your help, Captain Phasma. Now you can have a favour to me. What do you want? If you want to be promoted, I can recommend to the Supreme Leader..."  
Phasma stared at him, from under the silver mask, then shook her head.  
"No, I don't want it. I want to stay in my position."  
Hux frowned.  
"I want to be near my stormtroopers, to tell them what the order should be, how a soldier should be."  
He nodded.  
"Fine, I'm going to tell him what you want... See you later, Captain."  
He strode along the corridor, leaving Phasma and what used to be his father-in-law behind.  
He never looked back.

 

Putting on the nightgown which Medeia handed to her, Millie left the bedroom and hurried to the staircase. It was unusual that her husband came back before noticing it to his steward. But he came back. She heard the shuttle's engine howled in the silence of the night. As she reached the top of the stairs, the front door opened and her husband came in, in the long black coat as always, the black hat on his head as always. But when he looked up to the stairs, to her, she noticed, he was paler than usual, she could see it even in the dim light of the entrance hall in the midnight.  
Even though it was the midnight, the steward and some servants came out to the entrance hall, but no one said anything. He just walked toward the staircase. She began to descend the stairs. And at the middle of the staircase, they saw each other. She saw his pale face, he saw the bruise on her face. He reached out for her, he was about to touch her face, but pulled back his hand, then held her waist. They ascended the stairs and headed toward their bedroom. When they entered there, he released her waist and walked toward the bed, then took his hat off and began to pull his coat off. Medeia already left the bedroom, to let them alone.  
Millie watched him, standing at the spot, just behind the door.  
"You smell like blood."  
He put the coat on the bed, then turned around to her, a smirk on his face.  
"I got a shower before leaving the base."  
She stepped up to him, and when they faced each other, the smirk vanished from his face. He stared at her in a straight face.  
"You saw him?"  
There was a blank moment, before he nodded at her question.  
"I have a piece of news, Millie."  
"What?"  
"Your father was convicted of treason and executed."  
She shuddered. With widened eyes, she looked up to him. She opened her mouth, but even a word never came out from there.  
"Your father has informed the Resistance and provided funds for them. He even tried to spy on me, on my new plan. And I didn't want him to interrupt it."  
Still, she just looked up to him, like she couldn't understand what he told her, even if, he knew she could understand what it meant.  
He put the gloves off, then reached out for her. The tips of his fingers touched her face, lightly, so lightly, like he believed if he touched her a little rougher, she could crash down by his fingers.  
"You hate me now?"  
He asked in a flat tone, at least, he tried so. She breathed out, like holding her breath since the news.  
She shook her head.  
He nodded.  
"The Supreme leader considers promoting me to a general... opportunely now we have a vacancy..."  
He knew it was weird joke, and she didn't laugh. He knew.  
"And when I am promoted to a general, I can carry out the plan."  
Now his fingers left her face, landed on her shoulder. And she could feel his fingers shaking a little.  
"...Can I ask you what is the plan?"  
He narrowed his eyes to her, not annoying, but softly.  
"We will build a weapon. Not a normal weapon. A super size weapon, to destroy even a star system."  
She widened her eyes again.  
"Armi."  
But he cut her off, shaking his head.  
"We already completed the blueprint. Now just waiting a proper position for me, and enough money."  
She sighed deeply, as like now she understood what it meant completely.  
"So, you had to kill my father."  
As she said blankly, he chuckled.  
"And now you are the present head of Pinastoff family."  
She frowned, he smiled.  
"I think you are the only one child of him, no?"  
"But."  
"As the head of the family, you can decide what to do. To fund us for the weapon, or not."  
She blinked several times, and looked down, biting her underlip.  
"What are you going to do with that weapon?"  
He held his breath for a moment, as like he wanted to wipe his uneasiness away.  
"Destroy the New Republic."  
She looked up to him in a hurry, in a horror.  
"Armi!"  
He shook his head with a smile, trying to convince her.  
"They have supported the Resistance. They have fuelled this war, pretending a neutral attitude. They caused this chaos, they couldn't bring the order all over the galaxy, just fumbling the power in their hands like the toy in the children's hand. If they keep their attitude, it would bring just a devastation, till no one can revive the galaxy. Before it occurs, we have to bring this war to an end. And when the Resistance loses the support from the New Republic, they are just a disorderly crowd. They will lose their energy. We will need just to put them in order."  
His hand rested on her shoulder, and, he grabbed her shoulder, not too strong, but not so weak. As like he wanted to make sure she was there, in front of him.  
"Then there will be not so many things I have to do. I can go home more. I can come back to you more."  
It sounded like he tried to convince himself.  
She stared at him, at his eyes, at his piercing beautiful blue eyes. She felt his hand on her shoulder shaking surely now. She could see his fear, she could feel his fear, she could embrace his fear.  
It would break him down, not so far away, she knew.  
And she would decide before it occurs. She closed her eyes, and breathed out.  
"Fine."  
"...Fine what?"  
"I'm going to continue the funding to the First Order, as the head of Pinastoff Family."  
Of course she had to discuss about it with the stewards of her father later... but she had to choose what she wanted, not let them choose what they wanted.  
Now his both hands stayed on each shoulders of her. He leaned in, to kiss on her forehead.  
"Thank you."  
She felt his lips shaking on her skin, and she held his waist in her arms. He still trembled, like that night, like that fatal night when she saw his fear for the first time.  
And she decided.


End file.
